Package and method of making the same



35, 194-2. J. YATES PACKAGE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July'l2, 1940 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII ATTQREY ea. 15, 1942. J. YATES PACKAGE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME :Filed July 12, 1940 B SheetS-Sheet 2 I MENTOR.

J. YATES PACKAGE AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME 3 Sheets- Sheet 3 Filed July 12, 1940 INVENTOR 90-2. 3 4.: BY

g-saw mmx ATTORN Y Patented Dec. 15, 1942 umrso STATES PATENT OFFICE I memos ann lit i or trauma v I John Yates, Quincy, Masa, assignor to Pneumatic Scale Corporation,

Limited, Quincy,

Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application July 12,1940, Serial No. 345,139

0 Claims. 01. ace-14) This invention relates to a package, to -a method oi making the same and also to a carton particularly useful in the production of the package.

One object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved package which may be economically manufactured and whose construction is. particularly adapted to facilitate the packaging of a commodity possessing elastic characteristics in its loose or expanded state.

Aiurther object of v the invention is to provide 1 a novel method of producing the improved package by which the package may be produced in a simple and practical manner and at a minimum cost. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a carton of novel and improved construction which is particularly useful in the production of a package of the character described.

With these general objects in view and such others as may hereinafter appear, the invention consists in the package, in the method of making the same and in the carton for producing the package hereinafter described and particularly detlined in the claims at the end of this specificaon,

In the drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, Fig. 1 is a plan view development of a carton blank having a partial lining afllxed thereto: Fig. 2 is a perspective view' of one form of top closure for the lining, of the present package; Fig. 3 is a plan view development of a modified form of'the carton blank and the partial lining ailixed thereto; Fig. 4 is a detail view in cross-section showing a detail of construction to be referred to; Fig. 5 is a perspective view showing one step in the present method of making a package; Figs. 6 and 7 are perspective views showing subsequent steps in the present method; Fig. 8 is an enlarged detail view in cross-section showing a further step in the method of makin the package; Fig. 9 is a perspective view of a completed package produced in accordance with the present method having portions broken away to show the inner construction, and Figs. 10, 1-1, 12 and 13 are perspective views of a packag embodying a modified form of top closure for the Y lining and illustrating the present method of making the package.

In general the present invention contemplates a package of novel construction particularly adapted to facilitate packaging of a commodity such as soap flakes, or similar compressible material which, in its looseor expanded state, occupies greater volume than capacity of the container into which the commodity is to be deposited and consequently compression of the commodity is required during the packaging operation in order to deposit a predetermined weight thereof into the package.

In order to afford a sufllcient background for 6 a complete understanding of the present invention, previous attempts at handling and packaging a commodity having similar characteristics will be briefly summarized. It has been the usual practice in the soap industry to package such materials as granulated and flaky soap products in a'plain carton without the use of an inner lining, such lining being deemed unnecessary both as a m'atter of economy and because of the non-perishing the packaging thereof. The usual method of plunging the material down into' the Package inorder to deposit additional material was found to be unsatisfactory because of the inherent nature of the material to assume its former state when the plunger was raised and because of the tendency of the bottom of the plunger to cause a suction during its retracting stroke. to thereby draw the material up again. Furthermore, additional filling stations are required to deposit the additional material adding to the expense of the packaging equipment. Tapping or shaking the cartonin order to settle the contents was also tion of the latter into the cartonl Mechanism for accomplishing this result is illustrated and described in the United States patent to Howard.

No. 2,076,640, dated April 13, 1937. Such a procedure, although found to be highly satisfactory for the purpose, required special equipment to be added to the filling machine, such as the compression chambers, thereby adding to the expense of the machine.

In accordance with. the present invention, the container for packaging products of the character described may comprise the usual outer carton having a body portion and top and bottom closing flaps and such. carton is provided with a lining having a mouth portion extending a substantial distance above the score line of the carton. In practice I prefer to provide the carton with a partial lining which is preferably adhesively a-illxed to the body portion of the carton below the score line and the lining extending above the score lineis detached from the top closing flaps oi the carton whereby a top closure for the lining. enclosing the material in the contaF-ner, may be made independently of said top closing flaps. For some purposes the partial lining may also be detached from the body portion of the carton for a short distance below the score" line of the latter as will be described.

In accordance with the present method of producing a package for a commodity having elastic characteristics, utilizing a container of the construction above described, the carton is first filled with the required amount of the commodity to a height above the score line, the commodity being supported by the extended sides of the partial lining. The mouth of the lining is then closed at a level above the top of the carton and preferably at normal level of the commodity as it stands in an uncompressed con dition to thereby enclose and confine the commodity within the carton. In this condition, the lining and the confined commodity is forced down into the carton so that the top of the lining will be disposed level with or slightly below the score line. As a result of this operation, the product is compressed and the sides of the lining are crushed against the inner walls of the carton to form a series of irregular folds which are efiective in frictionally engaging the carton to retain the commodity in its compressed state and to prevent the elasticity oi the commodity in raising the top of the lining. Thereafter, the top closing flaps of the carton are closed and adhesively secured in the usual manner to seal the carton. During the latter operation the compressed commodity and the crushed lining material forms a satisfactory base to offer suflicient resistance when pressure is applied against the end of the closed flaps of the carton to set the glue so that a tight and efflcient seal may be made. Thus, the required quantity or weight of the commodity may be deposited into the carton in one filling or weighing operation and lining g the commodity during the subsequent in gang or compressing operation whereby the mproved package maybe produced in a simple and practical manner and at a minimum cost.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred embodiment of the invention, ill represents a carton blank provided with a body portion 12 and having top and bottom flaps H, l6 respectively. As shown in Fig. 1, the body portion has a partial lining l8 adhesively afflxed thereto, and in practice, the partial lining is preferably attached to the carton blank while the latter is in its fiat or developed form and before being folded and assembled to form a carton. The partial lining l8 may be afllxed to the upper portion of the carton blank, adjacent to but below the upper score line of the carton and the lining may extend unattached above the score line as illustrated in Fig. l, and independently of the carton flaps. As illustrated in Fig. 3, the partial lining 18 may extend a substantial distance above the scope line 20 and above the extended flaps it, and the lining may be adhesively secured to the carton by a strip of adhesive 22, as shown.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, it will be observed that the partial lining extends laterally a short distance beyond the elongated joining flap 26 so that when the carton is assembled, the corner portion, as shown in Fig. 4, will be provided with an overlapping portion 28 of the lining which may be adhesively secured to the adjacent surface of the lining to provide an efiicient seam for the edges of the lining.

In producing the package of the present invention, the assembled carton til. 5, is

oose or expanded state, the partial first filled a sufiicient quantity of the loosely deposited material 32, to make up the required weight 0! the package, such a quantity normally filling the carton up to a. height well above the top score line 20 of the carton, the material 32 being supported by the extended sides of thelining i8. The mouth of the lining may then be ciosed by any usual or preferred form oi top closure level with the top of the material and as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, the top closure may be formed by folding the opposed sides 3 33 of thelining inwardly and bringing the opposed sides 38, 40 together, to form an elongated folding strip H which may be folded and overfolded and then laid fiat on top of the surface of the lining, leaving the package in the condition shown in Fig. 7. Thereafter, see Fig. 8, the material 32 and the lining enclosing the material are forced downwardly to position the top of the folded lining on a level with or slightly below the top score line 20 of the carton thereby compressing the material within the carton. This operation may be accomplished in any usual manner such as by a plunger, indicated herein at 42. As hereinbefore described, in one embodiment of the invention, the partial lining I8 is detached and free from the carton body for a short distance below the score line 20 and as a result of this construction the lining enclosing the material is crushed between the sides of the carton by the plunging operation, forming a series of irregular folds H and causing the lining to frictionally engage the inner walls of the carton in a manner such as to retain the material in its compressed condition and preventing the material from springing back to assume its former position. Thereafter the top flaps Il may be closed and sealed in the usual manner to complete the package illustrated in Fig. 9. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Fig. 3 and in Figs. 5 through 9, the top closure for the carton includes a tuckingfiap 48 which in its closed position, see Fig. 9, is disposed between the front side wall of the carton and the crushed portion of the lining and above the adhesively secured portion 44 of the lining. This construction of carton permits the use of a tuck flap type of top closure and the extended portion of the lining serves to guide the material into the carton and thereby permits the package to be filled in an upright position with the tucking flaps uppermost. Henetofore in some instances tuck top cartonshave been required to be filled in an inverted position, a procedure which has some practical disadvantages.

Figs. 10 through 13 illustrate a modified form or top closure for confiningthe material within the lining before the plunging operation, and as herein shown, the modified top closure may be formed by spreading the opposed narrow sides 51!, 52 outwardly and bringing the opposed sides 5%, 55 together to form an elongated folding tab 58 which may be folded down on the surface of the lining. The triangular tabs 50 formed by this operation are then folded inwardly to complete the closure, and thereafter the lining and material is forced down into the carton and compressed in the manner hereinbefore described.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the partially lined carton may be used to advantage in the packaging of materials other than those of an elastic nature and which require little or no settling oi the contents of the container, and in such instances, the strip of adhesive 62 may be disposed directly adjacent the score line 20 of the carton and the mouth oi the lining may be provided with a top closure as of any usual or preferred construction. The extended portion of tlm mouth of the lining assists in guiding the material into the carton during the filling operation. In the packaging of a product which requires some settling, the extended sides of the partial lining serves to support the product in its expanded condition so that a sufiicient quantitv or weight of the commodity may be introduced into the container in one filling or weighing oper-, ation, the carton being thereafter subjected to a' tapping or shaking to settle the product below the score line whereupon the mouth of the lining and the top flaps 16 may be closed in the usual manner.

Fromthe description thus far, it will be observed that the present construction of package and its method oil production are particularly useful in the packaging of a commodity of an elastic nature, whereby a relatively large bulk of the commodity in its loose or expanded state may be deposited in the container, and thereafter confined and compressed into the package. The provision of a partial lining enables the carton to be economically manufactured and prevents the material from spilling out over the score line of the carton and between the corner openings of the top fiam during any required settling or plunging operation. It will also be i observed that the present construction of the mirage provides a substantial base for the top flaps during the closing operation whereby an eillcient top closure may be made.

While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been herein illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope oi the following claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

i. A package comprising a carton having a body portion and top and bottom flaps, a partial lining for the carton amxed to said body portion below the mouth thereof and being unattached thereto for a substantial distance below the mouth thereof, the upper end of the lining projecting above the mouth of the carton, a commodity filling the carton, the upper portion of said lining being crushed down into the carton whereby to compress the commodity and to form a series of folds in the side walls of said lining, said crushed portion being adapted to frictionally engage the inner side walls or the carton to assist in retaining the commodity in its compressed condition, and a top closure for the carton formed by folding over and adhesively securing said top fiaps.

2. A package comprising a carton having a body portion and top and bottom flaps, a lining for the carton affixed to said body portion below the mouth thereof and being unattached thereto for a substantial distance below the mouth thereof, the upper end of the lining projecting above the mouth of the carton, a commodity filling the carton, the upper portion of said lining being crushed down into the carton whereby to compress the commodity and to form a series of folds in the side walls of said lining, said crushed portion being adapted to frictionally engage the inner side walls of the carton to assist in retaining the commodity in its compressed condition, and a top closure for the carton formed by folding over and adhesively securing said top is;

3. A package compg a cart-on a body portion top and bottom a par lining for the carton edited to said body pos tion below the mouth thereof and extending unattached a substantial distance above said mouth, said lining being also unattached for a relatively short distance below said mouth, a commodity within the cotton, said commodity in its expanded condition filling the carton above said mouth, a top closure for the lining termed at the level of said expanded commodity and above said mouth to confine the commodity with in the carton, said lining being crushed down into the carton to dispose the top of the lining substantially on a level with or slightly below said mouth whereby to compress the commodity and to form a series of folds in said was said crushed portion being adapted to irictionelly on gage the inner side walls of the carton to retain the commodity in its compressed condition, and a top closure for the carton.

4. A package comprising a carton having a body portion and top and bottom flaps, a lining for the carton afilxed to said body portion below the mouth thereof and extending unattached substantial distance above said mouth, said lin ing being also unattached for a relatively short distance below said mouth, a commodity within the carton, said commodity in its expanded condition filling the carton above said mouth, a top closure for the lining formed at the level oi? said expanded commodity and above said mouth to confine the commodity within the carton, said lining being crushed down into the carton to dispose the top oi the lining substantially on a level with or slightly below said mouth whereby to compress the commodity and to form series of folds in said lining, said crushed portion being adapted to frictionally engage the inner side walls of the carton to retain the coodity in its compressed condition, and a top closure for the carton.

5. A carton cornprisiru, body mrtion an open end and aplurality oi individw. closing flaps formed extensions of the l portion and adapted to be folded down at t end of the body portion to form end ole therefor, said carton being provided with a pan tial lining comprising a sleeve having it inner end secured to the interior of the body portion by adhesive securing means positioned a substantial distance below said end of said body portion, said sleeve having its outer end extending a suh= stantiai distance beyond the open end or? body portion, said sleeve being unattached to said body portion and said flaps above said se= curing means, whereby said partial :1- i so may be closed independently of said flaps and folded into said carton.

6. A carton comprising a body portion having an open end and a plurality of individual end closing flaps formed as extensions of the body portion and adapted to be folded down at the end of the body portion to form an end closiu'e therefor, said carton being provided with a pertial lining comprising a sleeve having its inner end secured to the interior of the body portion by a relatively narrow band oi adhesive positioned a substantial distance below said end of body portion, said sleeve being unattached to said body portion and said flaps above said band adhesive, whereby said partial lining may he closed independently of said flaps and folded into said carton. 

